M'sian man works 2 jobs to care for 59 rescued dogs, appeals for help after contracting Covid-19

He thinks his chances of recovery are "slim" due to his "old age".

Jean Chien Tay | September 01, 2021, 06:07 PM

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A middle-aged Malaysian man has turned to the public for help to care for the 59 dogs he is fostering, after he tested positive for Covid-19.

"My chances of recovery are slim as I am old, I hope someone will be able to take care of my 59 fur kids when I'm gone", he wrote in his Facebook post on Aug. 25.

Sharing updates on a Facebook page called "Erlang's Dog", he revealed that he has been taking care of the dogs since 2012.

The man has always been able to manage the expenses until Covid-19 struck and his business suffered.

Since then, he has been working two jobs to provide for his dogs and cover their expenses, but now that he's down with Covid-19, he fears for his dogs should he fail to recover.

The cost of sheltering the dogs

The man started taking in the dogs in 2012, and said that he used to feed stray dogs regularly.

According to the man, he is currently working as a security guard and also at a factory, after his business shut down during the pandemic. However, his combined salary is not enough to cover the costs.

The man previously appealed to the public to help cover the rent of the house which he stays with the dogs and the cost of their food, totalling around RM8,800 (S$2,840).

He also hired a caretaker for the dogs in the day at the cost of RM1,500 (S$484), and the caretaker has been caring for the 59 dogs for six years.

"The caretaker helps to clean the place, feed the dogs, and make sure they don't fight. The caretaker is good at the job and loves the fur kids. Not everybody can handle 59 dogs," he added.

He further revealed that his caretaker is also down with Covid-19, and he's hoping that the caretaker will recover soon and return to work.

The man also said that he plans to withdraw his EPF (government pension scheme) money to stock up on dog food for "as long as possible".

Recent developments of uncle's condition

On Aug. 27, two days after announcing his Covid-19 infection, he said it felt like a "holiday" to be spending time with his fur kids at home, as he was busy with work before that.

He even groomed some of his dogs and planned to paint his house, despite his fever and some "bone pain".

However, he was unable to carry out the painting due to fatigue and loss of appetite, as he revealed in a subsequent post. He lost his sense of taste and vomited after trying to eat some bread.

But he was relieved that his dogs behaved well and showered him with kisses, as if "they knew he was sick".

In his latest post on Aug. 30, the man said he was feeling "very tired" and was down with a fever and a cough. Staff from the Malaysian Ministry of Health checked on him, but would only admit him to hospital if his condition became "critical", he added.

He hopes the dogs will not be moved as they are "happy there"

Recounting the years with his dogs, the man said he was used to being chased out of rental homes as neighbours would complain of the "strong smell" no matter how hard he tried to "wash it off".

That's why he chose to rent his current place, even though it costs RM3,200 (S$1,032) per month, as there are no neighbours living nearby and the house is "big enough" for the 59 dogs.

He further expressed his wish that his dogs will not be moved as they are "comfortable" living there.

"If I'm gone, please take care of my boys," he said.

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Top image via Erlang's Dog/Facebook